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Sunday, March 2, 2008

St Katherine - did she have to buy a car?

The patient and humble endurance of the cross, whatever nature it may be, is the highest work we have to do. - Saint Katharine Drexel (1858-1955)

St. Katherine Drexel's family endowed Drexel University.

Ok - today was test drive a car day for me and my head now hurts from all the information I am gathering. I was given the heads up about a great website - Edmunds.com - for car research. I have discovered that my PT Cruiser has the best cost-to-own ratio, that the Prius and the Jetta have the best mileage, that the Jetta is the best built....and I liked driving all of them.

The Prius is a very groovy car. Not only is it a hybrid, but it is roomy and comfortable and you feel like you are in some sort of space ship as you drive. The Jetta is also comfortable in that incredibly 'we are German watch us roar" kind of way - even though it is built entirely in Mexico. Both of those cars have a high resale value.

The Cruiser is my little dream car (I have owned two and walked away with relatively minor injuries from rear end collisions - though this last one has left me a lot more stiff and sore and becoming dependent upon extra-strength tylenol)..and I would be able to buy one for under 15k with a lifetime warranty. Now it only gets 24mpg but I could stay 2 or 3 days a week in Concord to keep the gas price down. No car payment if I buy it.

The Prius gets 40mpg and I would be able to come home every day...but it would have a car payment...but it has a VERY high resale value.

The Jetta is incredibly affordable. It gets about 30mpg and I would only have to finance about 3k....and it has a high resale value which would make it possible to turn it in for a newer one, a diesel, when it comes out in the spring and that one gets an estimated 50 mpg.....

oh man my head hurts.

You know, it is not that I am stupid - it is about having three great choices. I mean, choice is good....choice is what makes us have to think....thinking is good....I have a headache.

But here is the best part of all this: the quality of my problems today, as opposed to 15 plus years ago when all I did was sit in a closet, drink vodka and smoke cocaine, is amazing.I should not be having these kinds of discussions - online or anywhere else! Someone with my history, with my disease? Shoot....the best I should be doing is prison time......and to have to think about what would be the best car to buy because I have a long commute to a job in law enforcement is indicative of the power of the 12 Steps, properly applied and imperfectly lived.Life today is so amazing. I cannot tell you how grateful I am for everything, even the tough stuff at work, because I am keenly aware of where I should be today. I am so aware that love and compassion and hard work and no short cuts have saved me from a life of misery and an early death.

Actually, the early death would have been wishful thinking on my part....with my luck, I would have been one of those 75 year old women regularly picked up for being drunk in public and then have to endure jail time with some idiot kid who doesn't even know who Keith Richards is let alone Jesus.

Today, Father revealed that a friend of mine (an incredible artist) is the one doing the mural behind the altar in the sanctuary at St. Joseph's...and it will be revealed at Easter.

Tonight our Elect went through their 2nd Scrutinies....two more weeks and they will be welcomed Home to the Catholic Church. I cannot wait. Easter Vigil is an incredible night...and watching all those new Catholics rise up from the Baptismal Waters - the Catholic Mikva - is amazing.....I always end up in tears.

I do hope, however, that when this year's fire is lit the wind won't come up....one year I was afraid we would end up watching Father Francis re-enact the martydom of St Joan d'Arc.Anyway, the paperwork has been mailed off to the insurance company and to the CHP. I will have money to make a decision sometime next week. Prius, Jetta or Cruiser.....what a choice.

2 comments:

St Katherine; she had plenty of money if she needed to buy a car; and she gave most of it away. No,no ... I am not saying you should do that. ;-) I vote Prius; with the cost of gas going ... going ... gone over $4 soon, you will be glad of that.DIEU TE BENISSE!!!Cajun Sissy

Madonna and Child

About Me

I am a widow, a Faithful practicing Catholic (I don't get it perfect so I must practice, practice, practice) and a Catholic Out Loud. I am a Proud Army Auntie, a sister, a daughter and a writer. I am a Catechist, a lover of Scotties and the proud 'mom' of three 'fur babies - one Scotty and two beautiful cats. My nephew serves in the US Army and is 'My Soldier'. I have two wonderful nephews and a beautiful niece and they are the loves of my life. Go Niners! Go Giants! Go Cal Bears!